Bottoms Up
by CammieRR
Summary: Levy Mcgarden has never had the best luck. One day when she stumbles into a bar she runs into some trouble that leads her to meet Gajeel Redfox, a hard head with a bothersome past. As they get to know each other however both of their luck seems to take a turn for the better. But will it stay that way? AU
1. Chapter 1

Levy tapped her foot anxiously on the tiled kitchen floor, arms crossed tightly on her chest while she stood in front of the oven, peering in. Even with the light on she couldn't see what was going on. She had spent the last hour _trying_ to follow a simple Chicken Potpie recipe and as a result her favorite pink and white polka-dotted apron was a mess of flour and liquid egg whites and her sink was filled with bowls half filled with goop. She bit her lip, a nervous habit that she couldn't quite break, even when her lip would start to trickle blood. She sighed and straightened up, staring at the clock.

The green light beamed 5:45. She knew that Hirno would be home soon and she also knew he was a grump when he was hungry. She looked down at the thin silver band on her ring finger that had a small but delicate diamond glinting in the middle. It had a few patches of flour stuck to it but it still danced in the light. Levy smiled to herself, imaging for what she figured was the fourth time today, walking down the aisle in a beautiful white dress to the man she loved.

Their wedding hadn't been planned yet; in fact, he hadn't mentioned it since proposing to her two years ago. It was a beautiful proposal at that. He had brought her to her favorite restaurant and then outside by the waterfall they threw pennies in and made a wish. She remembered asking him what he wished for, he simply said, "that you'll say yes" and then proposed to her and suddenly she felt like she was living in a real fairy tale. Sometimes she felt upset that they had nothing planned yet but whenever she looked down at her finger she felt her heart swell with love and was on cloud nine all over again.

She hadn't been with him a lot which she figured was part of the lack of planning, either she was working or he was. Although Levy loved working at a nursing home where the highlight of her day was wiping the rears of elderly ladies and getting screamed at, she reluctantly decided take her vacation days for the first time in a year and today was the last day of that vacation time. To Levy's disappointment it hadn't been as magical as she hoped. She expected a week of love, of being wrapped in the love of her life's arms, and her ears being drowned by the sound of their giggles and sweet words. Unfortunately it hadn't been like that at all.

Hirno was either always at work, since he said he couldn't afford to take a vacation _or_ he would seem completely out of it and Levy could almost _hear_ the static in his mind. She would talk and he would just space out, his hazel eyes fixated on something else, blank, and lifeless. She'd ask him if he was listening and it just reply with:

"Huh? Sorry babe didn't catch you." Or "Yeah, yeah, that's really nice" when she would ask him a question.

It annoyed her and sometimes infuriated her, but she would reason with herself and came to the conclusion that she loved him so she would put up with his air-headedness. He worked constantly and was usually exhausted so she understood if he didn't want to hear her drown on about what she read in a book and how the movie adaptation didn't do it justice. Suddenly she heard a jiggle of the doorknob in the living room and was snapped out of her thoughts. She looked up at the time, 5:55.

 _Oh no! I was supposed to take this thing out five minutes ago_ Levy thought to herself and quickly flung open the oven.

"Levy, I'm home….is something burning? Never mind, listen, um, I have to talk to you about something." She heard Hirno's deep voice from the other room and groaned. He had never been impressed with her cooking skills, so hearing that it smelled like she had burnt something was like a kick in the stomach.

"No honey nothing's burning! Well….I don't think so….I'll be in there in a sec let me just take this thing out of the oven!" She said and as she pulled out her creation and set it on the stovetop she couldn't stop herself from biting deeper into her already blistering lip.

What was _supposed_ to be a chicken potpie was looked more like a monster created in a lab of a Science Fiction movie. The top was burned in awkward places, it had sunken it in middle and puffed up on the sides, and the smell was absolutely foul; it smelt like a mixture of sour milk and rotten chicken. For a second Levy thought it would come to life and jump at her. She gave a sigh, hoping Hirno wouldn't mind another take out order. She took off her mittens and closed the oven, feeling defeated and walked into the living room.

Hirno was sitting on the light blue couch across from their rather small flat-screen, staring at it and bouncing his knee at a steady pace, as if following a rhythm only he could hear.

"I tried to cook, didn't go so well babe," Levy started "Any chance you feel like Chinese again?" she gave a weak smile. He didn't look up from her but his knee sped up. She didn't think he was going to answer her, but he did.

"I have to talk you Levy," he said and turned his head to look at her, eyes intense, she bit down on her already sore lip before speaking.

"What's wrong? Did something happen at work? Did you get fired?"

"No, Ba- Levy, I think you should sit down." He pointed to the seat beside the couch, and Levy felt an impending sense of dread fall onto her. She walked to the seat in sat down, all of her movement felt mechanical, like she went from human to tin man in seconds. She watched him pick up the remote and click off the T.V.

"Y-yes?"

"Levy, I love you, you know that right?" She nodded.

"You know how you love people right, like you have friends you love?" Another nod.

"It's love but not the same as relationship love. I love you Levy but, I don't _love love_ you. Not anymore. Not for awhile now." "I thought I could fake it, I thought I could force myself to feel it again but I can't, not anymore. When you were always at work it was easy, I hardly had to fake it but when you were here all week I just felt miserable. I'm sorry Levy, but I think…..I think we should end this before we start a life together none of us wants to live."

Levy stared at him; she just started at his face looking for any hint of a smile, or anything that might reveal his words to be a joke. There was none. She felt her eyes begin to tear up as her mind crunched and crunched trying to process what was being said. She felt the wheels in her brain turning before she finally spoke.

"W-what?" She squeaked, suddenly feeling old and as though she was pushed into a dream as her fairy tale began to unravel. Hirno looked old suddenly too, as if by saying the words they caused him to age significantly, his hazel eyes looked dark and sad, his face sunken in and it reminded her of the burnt pie on the stove top. The one she made for the both of them.

"Levy, I'm sorry."

The wheels in her head stopped turning.

"W-we can work this out! We haven't seen each other for awhile so of course seeing each other this much feels weird but….but we can't just _give up!_ " Levy said, rising from her seat, she felt frantic and suddenly she felt like the diamond ring of her finger was burning into her skin and her head was pounding to the beat of each passing second. "We love each other, I _love_ you, please, I'm sure we can make change Hirno! I'm su-"

"There's someone else Levy! I love someone else dammit, are you happy now?" He replied rising from his seat, pointing a finger in Levy's face, he seemed furious suddenly. "I've been seeing her for a year, I _love_ her and I'm not leaving her to mend something that can't be fixed! I don't love you Levy, I did once, not anymore, not for a year! A year! So leave me be, let me go, I'd do anything for you but I won't throw my happiness away for _your love_."

Levy recoiled, _someone else?_ She felt tears stream down her face as she fell back into her chair, covering her quivering mouth with both hands as she sobbed. _A year? A full year of...pretending?_ She covered her eyes and began to quake with her sobs. The room felt like it was spinning. She couldn't believe how miserable he was, she was so happy and he was acting like being with her was torture, as if it was the worst thing he'd ever experienced when she was in a state of bliss, in pure happiness, how didn't she see this?

"I-I'm sorry Levy, listen we don't need to never talk again right? We love each other, it can be a friend love, listen I didn't mean to blow up on-"

"Get out!" She felt rage, she felt hatred stirring in her, she wanted him out, out of her life, she never wanted to see him again she wanted to push him out and burn his clothes.

"Get out of this apartment Hirno! I don't want to be your friend," she began getting up and pushed him on his chest, he towered over her and had decently built frame and her tiny shove hardly moved him. He recoiled in shock and nervously ran his hand through his sandy hair.

"Levy listen-"

"Get _out!_ Get out right now Hirno! Get out! Get out! _Get out!"_ Her face felt warm, she didn't know what to think, her mind was on fire, her heart was beating and her small frame was quivering, trying to hold in the emotions and failing miserably. Hirno looked down at her with a mixture of pity and guilt, nodded, and walked out in to the cool night. Not looking back at the wreckage he left behind him.

Two hours later and Levy was on her bedroom floor, surrounded by ripped up photos and male clothing. She didn't know what she was feeling right now, nothing perhaps. Before she had felt rage and threw Hirno's clothes everywhere followed by ripping up every photo in the albums they constructed together. Then she felt sadness, which she let out by sobbing for an hour and listening to awful break up songs from her teenage years. She felt lost, she felt heartbroken, and she felt horrible about herself, she had thought Hirno felt what she felt, undeniable love and affection, which….he claimed he _did_ but not with _her_ , not anymore, not for a year.

She gave a sniffle and got up from her floor. She didn't have anyone to lean on, she hadn't made many friends in her adult years, she focused all of her time on Hirno or work, she didn't even know who she was at the moment, she didn't know anything. She knew she was alone, for the first time in her life she was 100% alone.

 _So what do lonely people do?_ She thought to herself. _Get drunk and drown in their sorrows?_ She sighed, wiping her crusty eyes. It sounded nice to her, to get drunk enough that maybe the next morning she would have a hangover and a new case of amnesia. To forget about the nights events seemed like bliss. She looked at the clock on her nightstand, 8:04; it was right by her kind sized bed, a bed fit for two.

She didn't want to sleep in that bed tonight and feel the emptiness; she wanted to forget, just for one night. She figured she wasn't the type to go to a bar and get blackout drunk, but as someone who didn't know who she was anymore she decided that maybe she _was_ the type. She took a deep breath, she was going to the bar tonight, she decided it suppressing the feelings in her chest, she decided it yes but she wasn't sure if she _wanted it_.

After taking a shower to clear the snot that accumulated in her nose, throwing on light makeup and decent attire, a black long sleeved shirt, skinny jeans, and ankle high black velvet boots, Levy headed out into the night. It was around 9:30 and a feeling of unease waltzed inside of her stomach. _Hopefully alcohol will burn away these nerves_ she thought. She was never a big drinker but she figured everyone had his or her moments. She would allow this; she would allow herself to have a break down. She deserved to be human even if she felt like nothing.

She finally got to the local bar, she had only been here once with Hirno, he wanted a drink after work, that was two years ago and she found herself wondering if during that night he loved her still or if he was beginning to fall out of love with her. She shook the thought out of her head and stared. The bar was run down, it looked more like a shack constructed by a group of high teenage boys. It seemed lopsided in a way and the wood it was build out of seemed to be rotting over and Levy figured one day it would just collapse. The sign on top of it was only half lit up and one of the letters, an I, was falling out of place.

She read it to herself _Tiger's._ She didn't understand the name, she didn't _need_ to, she only needed a bar. She loosened her grip on her steering wheel and felt shooting pains fire in her hands from gripping it too tightly and she opened her door, allowing cool air to slap her in her face, her body gave a shiver.

 _Here goes nothing I guess_ she thought to herself as she got out, closing her door and locking it and began walking towards the entrance.


	2. Chapter 2

Levy wasn't the type to drink. She didn't know exactly who she was right now but whoever it was, it _was not_ a drinker. Even the simple Red Sangria in front of her was too much for her, the first sip she took caused her to recoil in disgust but she was stuck with it, and she'd be damned if she was going to buy something and let it go to waste.

She gave a sigh and took another sip of the disgusting mixture. She had no interest in getting drunk or drowning her sorrows tonight and grew to hate her past self for her decision

She felt lost and confused but as she sat there, swishing her drink back and forth she had made the choice to spare her liver, she had never been a heavy drinker and a break up wasn't going to change that.

She scrunched up her nose, the smell of the bar was indicating that the other occupants _were_ heavy drinkers and the obvious stench of alcohol mixed with hours of crying caused a migraine to slowly maneuver its way to Levy's head. She rolled her shoulders, desperately trying to relieve the tension that was building in her neck. No dice. She sighed and peered around the bar.

There were a bunch of round tables scattered around in a sloppy fashion, as if the designing had been left to a preschooler and as Levy looked around she spotted a couple of waitresses rushing back and forth holding large glasses, some empty, some full.

Ten minutes ago a blonde waitress had dropped one of them and a blue haired girl was now sweeping feverishly. There were men seated with women, some laughing and having conversation, some making out, some doing things Levy would only do with a partner in private. If she _had_ a partner. She didn't. Anymore. The thought made her take a small swig of her drink.

The atmosphere seemed musty, as if a fog machine was running in a recluse corner, there was a small stage at one end of the bar with a microphone and flat screen by it, she figured it was for karaoke which wasn't running at the moment. She gave another sigh and turned her attention back to her drink.

She wanted to leave, she wasn't having fun and in all honesty the place only aided in reminding her about the round of drinks she had with Hirno. She raised her hand to get the bartenders attention, she wanted to pay and get out.

He was tall man with a strong build, and dark skin. Levy noticed the large scar above his left eye, and she guessed when it was an actual wound it was a rather deep gash. She shuddered, one thing for sure she wasn't going to pick a fight with _him_ , she couldn't handle a scratch, let alone _that_.

As she waved her hand she groaned in frustration, his back was facing her, he was chatting enthusiastically with a man behind the counter at the end of the counter, she couldn't make out what he looked like, she saw hair, _a lot_ of hair, but that was it. She shifted in her seat was about to get up and walk over them when she heard a voice.

"Hope you're waving for another drink, if so, it's on me." Levy turned her head and saw a man, probably in his early twenty's, looking at her with rather large blue eyes.

His black hair was just touching the top of his ears and his skin was a peachy color and he grinned to reveal a set of perfectly straight, white teeth, and Levy could have sworn she'd seen them on a cover of the "Healthy Smile" brochure the dentist always forced onto her that always wound up in the trash.

Levy observed his outfit, he was wearing a navy blue tank top to show off his toned arms and black jeans, and she came to the conclusion that he was _gorgeous._ Levy smiled sheepishly and shook her head.

"No, unfortunately not," she began "I'm actually heading home."

"Come on cutie, humor me, let an average guy have a drink with a pretty girl."

 _Average?!_ Levy though _me humor him, really?_

"I haven't even finished this one." Levy said, raising her glass, she felt her face grow hot as he stared at it in disbelief.

"Well how about you finish it and then we have a couple more together?" He winked at her and she swallowed the lump in her throat

"S-sure" was all she could manage.

And they did.

A few drink later Levy was giggling at anything and everything. It didn't take much for her to get drunk and she was definitely pushing it. She didn't care though, she was having a great time, the bartender finally stopped chatting with the man in the corner and continued to bring the drinks but his gaze seemed suspicious.

Levy figured the alcohol was making her paranoid, but regardless she did a double take of her outfit and ruled that she didn't look like the type to have a few drinks and sneak out without paying.

"So cutie, how about we continue this fun at my place?" the man, who's name Levy found out was Trevor said. She suddenly felt nervous, yes he was cute and funny but she _did not_ want to hook up. Plus she had work tomorrow afternoon and she was already creeping her way to the top of the "major hangover tomorrow' list. She shook her head weakly.

"I can't but I'm having a really good time!" She choked out, trying to feign enthusiasm. His face dropped into a frown but went back to a flirty smile so fast Levy wondered if it even faltered. She looked around the bar, only a few people were left and she figured it was close to closing time

"No problem baby, so am I, so's that guy" he said and pointed behind her. She looked behind her and saw a man with white hair making out with a girl who had long brown hair but her face was blocked by the back of the mans head and Levy couldn't make out her face. Levy gave a small laugh and turned her head back to Trevor.

When she looked at him she was taken aback, he was glancing behind the bar and Levy carefully followed his gaze. She saw what he saw.

The bartender was glaring at them, his eyes hard and if looks could kill she would drop dead. His friend was staring too, she could see him now and his face sent a shiver creeping down her spine.

He had dark red eyes and the gaze of a predator and a face riddled with piercings. Under his lip were twp, the trailed up the bridge of his nose, and five round silver bulbs replaced were his eyebrows should have been. His hair was black and messily placed on top of his head, making him appear more like an animal than human.

He was wearing a white tank top which formed to his built chest with a leather jacket on top and even with it she could still see his large arms. She swallowed hard and turned back to Trevor.

"A-are they watching us?" She whispered in fear that could her them in the now silent bar. Trevor's head snapped back to her and he smiled, his face still seemed nervous, but he smiled, it was a shaky and rather pathetic smile, but it was a smile.

"Who wouldn't stare at the cutest couple at the bar?" He winked again but it lost it's magic, in fact it made Levy want to throw up. Not to mention they were now _the only_ couple in the bar.

She felt uneasy and she wanted nothing more than to go home and pass out, despite the storm that would be her head in the morning.

She wanted to go home but she could tell her judgment foggy and she feared that if she went on the road it would be the last time. She sighed and went to take a sip of drink when suddenly it flew from her hand and landed onto the ground shattering a few feet away from her boots.

It all happened so fast, Levy hardly had time to process it. The red-eyed man knocked the drink out of her hand and was standing in front of her, holding Trevor by the collar.

"Whatcha put in her drink wise guy?" He growled, his voice was menacing, it made Levy recoil and as her eyes shifted over to Trevor he looked as though he was about to lose control of his bladder. His big eyes were even bigger and he was shaking violently.

"I-I…didn't…I didn't put anything in it man!" he replied, his voice was high pitched and filled with panic.

 _My drink?_ She looked at the broken glass that covered the ground beneath her feet. She looked up at Trevor. _Did…..did he put something in my drink?_

She shook her head, trying to clear it. She felt angry and hurt all over again, she wanted to have a good time but instead the one person she thought just wanted to chat tried to _drug_ her.

"Yes, ya fuckin' did," the man said pulling Trevor closer so their noses were almost touching. "Now yer lyin', and you know what I do to scumbags that fuckin' _lie_ to me?"

Trevor didn't answer.

"Guess I'm gonna haveta bring ya outside and show you then huh?" he said and chuckled, it was unsettling, it was the laughter of a maniac. Trevor shook his head.

"No dude no! Please I won't come back I swear just please man please!" the man threw him down on to the floor amongst the broken glass and dirt.

"Go, before I start countin' to three you little shit." He spit on him and Trevor scurried like a rat out the door, not looking back once.

Levy didn't know what to say or do, she just sat there, staring at the door. Her fiancé broke up with her and she was almost drugged. She went over this in her mind, folding it, turning it, like a piece of paper, trying to find the part where "psych!" was written. It wasn't there, this was all real.

"Ma'am?" A voice said from behind her, she gave a small yelp and jumped turning to see the bartender, his face was now full of concern, she skimmed it for a sign of any anger but it was clear.

"Are you okay?" She blinked, she wanted to ask for the definition of "okay" wanted to scream, she wanted to lie on her belly and kick her arms and feet shrieking like a five year old. Instead she smiled weakly and said

"Yeah."

He nodded and turned to the red-eyed man.

"Thank you, Gajeel." Levy looked at him, he looked a lot less menacing now and more annoyed than anything. His arms were crossed and his face was scrunched up, as if he had tasted something sour.

"Yeah, whatever, don't know why you make it my job to take care of little girls. If they can't handle themselves whatever happens to em' is there fault. Not my fault she decided to be stupid and get drunk."

Levy felt her face grow hot at the words. _This isn't my fault!_

"Gajeel." he scolded tilting his head slightly towards her.

The man known as Gajeel stared at her, it wasn't a cold stare but it definitely wasn't a kind one. He scoffed.

She snapped.

"It's not my fault." She whispered. Gajeel put his hand up to his ear.

"Can't hear you kid, how about you use your big girl voice?"

"It's _not_ my fault!" She said and got up from her seat, she realized how he towered over her and began to recoil but quickly regained her composer. She was furious, her day had been awful and she was absolutely furious.

"Guys come in here all the time! They got drunk off their asses but no one calls them stupid! Middle-aged men feel up young girls at the tables and no one calls them stupid! Do you know what you would say if a guy gets drunk?! You'd say "he's having a _good time_ " but if I get drunk, I'm stupid!" she felt tears budding in her eyes, threatening to spill over.

"If a guy gets drunk and he gets into his car he's not stupid! He's a little reckless, if I get drunk and someone slips a drug into my drink, I'm _stupid_ I'm a fool for not expecting this! I'm an idiot because sometimes I think I can have a drink and not be worried the next thing I know I'll be awake on the street or in some dark room!" The tears began to spill.

"I'm not stupid! I'm having a good time! It's not my fault this world is so messed up that a girl is _stupid_ for taking her eye off a drink for one second and not suspecting s-she's g-g-going to be drugged!" She had to spit out her last sentence, her tears were making it hard for her to speak evenly. She stared at the man, she expected to see rage, to see hatred that would burn through the core of her being.

She saw nothing, he had no emotion in his eyes and she couldn't tell if it was more unsettling than his anger. He didn't say anything. The silence began to consume both of them.

"Hey, how about I drive you home miss? You had a lot to drink and I don't think you'll be safe on the road." She turned her head to the bartender. She wanted to decline but her head interrupted her, pounding full force as if screaming _take the ride, take it!_ She groaned and nodded.

"Y-yeah, is that alright?"

"Of course, sit tight and let me close up, Gajeel, go warm up the car" he said and through the keys on the large man, he caught them and walked out coolly, leaving an icy path wherever he walked. Levy sat down on a stool and rested her pounding head on the table, allowing the coldness of it to sooth her pain.

"He isn't as cruel as he seems," the man began "My name's Lily by the way, I don't think I got the chance to say it before with…..everything."

Levy didn't say anything at first, she was actually weighing the chances that these men were going to kidnap and kill her. It seemed more likely than not at this point but she just sighed and lifted her head to watch the now cleaning man.

"It's okay, I shouldn't have said all of that." She rethought over what she had yelled at the man and a wave of embarrassment hit her.

"You were right." He said, cleaning out a class with a cloth before hanging it. "Gajeel is just stubborn and comes across as rude, kid's got a good heart though." He cleared his throat awkwardly and walked over to the front door to lock it, once he was done he motioned for her to follow him to the back.

"Let's go, cars in back and I want to make sure you get home sometime tonight."

"What about my car?" she said nervously, starting to bite her lip. she needed that if she had any hopes of getting to work tomorrow.

Lily's brows furrowed nervously, he scratched the back of head.

"Would you rather Gajeel drive you home or drive your car to your house?"

Levy's head started to pound again.


	3. Chapter 3

_Bzzzzzzzzzz._

Gajeel stirred.

 _Bzzzzzzzz._

His eyes popped open and he clenched his jaw in frustration.

He turned his head towards his phone that was now buzzing repeatedly, beckoning to him to pick it up and completely ruin any chances he had of falling back asleep.

 _Who the fuck is calling me right now? Oh shit I hope it isn't that girl from last week._

He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and grabbed his phone, answering without checking the caller ID, whoever it was; he planned to keep it short.

"What?" He growled into the phone and was greeted by a familiar perky voice. He groaned. Lovely.

"'What?'! That's no way to greet your brother Gajeel!" Gajeel rolled his eyes.

"Natsu, what the fuck do you want?" He heard a chuckle on the other end of the line and with it he felt his patience waver. He rubbed a large hand down his face. His brother knew how to crawl under his skin in less than a minute.

"I got a date tonight brotha, we all knew I was a stud but now it's confirmed," he began

"Call the bachelor please, the ladies are practically at my door step. Do you hear that Gajeel?" Gajeel huffed.

"Hear what?"

"It's the sound of a thousand women calling my name, 'Natsu,' the say 'Oh Natsu choose me you hunk you!'" Gajeel cringed, at least the kids confidence wasn't shot, that's for sure.

"How'd ya meet this girl, someone lose a bet?"

Natsu ignored his snide remark.

"Ah, well to answer that question…..Technology may have had a role…."

"Online again?!" Gajeel asked flabbergasted.

"You remember what happened last time? Or have ya repressed it?" a smirk spread across his face as he remembered the story his brother relayed onto him the last time he went on an online date.

"How was I supposed to know a 22 year old girl would have five kids?" Natsu groaned

"And how was I supposed to know she would bring them _on_ the date?"

Gajeel chuckled.

"You call me just to tell me yer bad life choices or what? Because let me tell you I was in a nice sleep before yer annoying ass dialed me."

There was silence at the other end of the phone and Gajeel snorted

"What is it hot head, cat got that tongue of yours?"

"Fairy Tail" Natsu sighed out finally, as if saying the words relieved some sort of pressure he had been building up.

"What _about_ Fairy Tail?" Gajeel said, sitting up abruptly, he felt heat rise from his chest to his head and suddenly he wanted nothing more than to strangle Natsu.

"G-Gajeel, it's, uh, closing, I thought I should tell you, I know tha-" he stammered, although he was used to Gajeel's brash way of speaking it still unsettled him when it was directed towards him.

"Why the fuck is closing?!" Gajeel was holding his phone with force that caused it to start crackling; he ignored it, not really caring if the screen shattered in his ear.

"N-not enough money being made to keep it in good conditions you know? This stuff happens Gajeel, the kids have been transferred a different place so that's okay. Listen I know what that place means to you but think of thi-" Gajeel hung up. He wasn't really listening to his brother stammer on and he didn't care about what he was about to say. He threw his phone down and growled to himself.

"Mother fuckers."

Fairy Tail was where he was raised. Where he grew up. His father abandoned him at the young age of ten and he was shoved into Fairy Tail, hopefully to be picked up by a family.

He never was and quite frankly he didn't care.

Although no family ever snatched him Gajeel never _felt_ like he didn't have a family. Makarov, the old man who ran everything loved every child as if they were his own.

He met Natsu there.

At first he had hated the kid, he was so damn positive all the time and never failed to give Gajeel a headache. He was an odd looking kid too, with spiky pink hair on his head he looked like he belonged in a fantasy movie or something, he didn't really blend in with the other kids at the orphanage.

But as time went on Gajeel found himself growing fond of Natsu, though the idea revolted him. and Natsu was five years younger than Gajeel, which led him to often look to Gajeel for safety.

Gajeel rejected it at first, he wanted to sit in the orphanage and be angry and bitter, hating everything and anything. Gajeel didn't _want_ to be close to anyone. He figured he was abandoned, destined to be alone, so he was going to follow his damn destiny.

Natsu was abandoned too of course, hence why he was in an orphanage, or at least that's what Gajeel thought. Makarov watched him reject Natsu time and time again and asked him to ease up on him. Gajeel scoffed at first and said they all had it rough and he wasn't going to comfort another kid that was cast away by his family when he was in the same boat.

Natsu wasn't abandoned though. His father died, and he had no other family.

He went downstairs one morning and found his father on the floor, dead, heart attack they said, real tragic. Natsu didn't talk for two months afterwards but slowly he began to lighten up again and took on a more upbeat persona.

He was only five too and when Gajeel learned what had happened to him he was filled with undeniable rage. Angry at himself and angry at the world for fucking with a young boy so early on in his life.

Gajeel wasn't that close to his father, Natsu was, and his dad was stolen from him, when he least expected it his life was pulled right from under his nose. At least Gajeel wasn't shocked by his father's actions.

He remembered looking at Natsu play the day Makarov told Gajeel the story, a smile on his face, despite being close to his father and having him die.

As he watched him Gajeel mentally took on the responsibility of being his older brother and although Gajeel would _never_ say it directly, he loved the dumbass.

As he sat on his bed however, he fucking despised him. Waking him up with that shit news he wanted to go over his brother's apartment and beat his ass six feet under.

But he didn't.

Instead he simply got up, and went to take a shower, frustration heating his body, and he was sure that once he stepped his rug it would burst into flames.

It didn't and Gajeel headed to the shower.  
X

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X

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By the time Gajeel got out of the shower it was 12:20, which had meant he slept until around 12, something that was particularly strange to him.

He would usually fall asleep around 1-2am and wake up at 7-8, much to his distaste. After working he would pledge to sleep well into the next days afternoon but never accomplished his mission, well except for today and if Natsu hadn't woken him he might have hit the 1pms or he might even unlock some hidden talent and hit the 2's

Unfortunately he would never know.

He groaned and he plopped back into bed, he knew he had to work again tonight and he didn't want to go but he knew if he skipped out again Lily would give him hell.

He wasn't interested in grinding his teeth through an unnecessary 30-minute lecture on "taking pride in your work" and "doing what you have to for the greater good." He worked at a fucking bar and couldn't grasp what Lily meant when he said the "greater good" as if him going to work and getting people drunk off their asses and roughing some assholes up was somehow saving the world.

He looked up at the ceiling, his mind felt as though it was being split into two.

He wasn't sure what to do; he suddenly felt like a kid and he hated that feeling. It was a feeling of helplessness, and there was nothing more he hated than to succumb to weakness.

He furrowed his brows, or piercings rather, angrily as he imagined the orphanage he grew up in being vacant and run down, just a memory for those who once were there and a meaningless pile of rubble for those who weren't.

He gave another growl and grabbed his Jeeps keys.

He was going to get an answer from that old bastard.

He was going back to Fairy Tail

X

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X

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When he pulled into the parking lot he felt absolutely exhausted.

It was a good 40 minute drive to get there and it felt even longer given the fact he hadn't been up there in a year.

When his red eyes found the building it felt as though a hand had wrapped around his heart and squeezed as a sense of familiarity enveloped him.

When he walked up to the front however, a feeling of dread had overcome him., replacing the fondness abruptly.

The place looked like a shit storm. It was a small double house; the two front doors were metal painted white and had noticeable rust and chipping in different places and as he observed closer he noticed they were hardly staying on their hinges.

The dark green paint on the house was peeling and the porch was filled with leaves and dirt was caked in the cracks of the floorboards. It appeared at though the place was already abandoned and Gajeel felt a pang of remorse at the thought.

Gajeel walked over to the left door, where Makarov and the other workers usually stayed opposed to the right where the kids stayed.

He puffed up his chest, he hadn't been there in a year and felt uneasy, regardless he knocked, he'd be damned if he looked like a wimp.

He heard scampering around inside before the door creaked open to reveal a silver haired woman. She was clad in a light pink lacey dress that landed at the tops of her knees, her long hair was down but her bangs had been tied up and if it was anyone else besides her it would have looked absolutely ridiculous.

Her blue eyes seemed confused at first but as recognition set in they widened and a smile popped on her porcelain face.

"Gajeel!" She said and immediately taking a couple steps backwards, clearing a way for him to walk in, he took the invitation.

"Yo Mira" he said to the woman.

"We've missed you here!" She replied and shook her head lightly before playfully slapping him on a broad shoulder.

"You should visit more often! Makarov has been dying to see you and I'm sure Laxus has been too!"

Gajeel scoffed, Makarov miss him? Yeah he could buy that, Laxus? Hell no.

As a kid he never got along with the asshole and they would always fight, physically and verbally and Gajeel hardly won, if he ever did.

"Yeah, I'm sure Laxus is _dying_ to see me, speaking of the asshole, has he popped a ring on your finger yet?"

Mira Jane had grown up in the orphanage with her younger sister Lisanna and older brother Elfman. She was the oldest girl at the place and Laxus; Makarov's grandson would spend a great deal of time at the orphanage since his own father, although present, neglected him, leaving him in the old mans hands most of the time.

Mira was 16, he was 17, and he took a liking to her immediately, although his snarky attitude didn't show it at the time. They started dating two years after, yet they weren't even _engaged_ after thirteen years of "bliss".

"No no!" she said and he saw a slight pink undertone spreading across her cheeks. Gajeel smirked.

"Oi, he better do it quick, you ain't too old for me anymore, I'm sure I can sweep ya right off your feet" she offered a giggle

"And I'd be a fool not to let you Gajeel" she took a deep breath and rubbed her arms.

"How's Elise?" she asked quietly. Gajeel rolled his eyes.

"Broke up with the basket case last year." Gajeel hated talking about Elise. He dated her, didn't love her, mostly used her for sex and as eye candy. It was scummy, yeah, but she was no better, a real bitch in Gajeel's opinion.

"Oh, I-I'm sorry…."

"Gihi, I know you ain't, I brought her around her last visit and all she did was complain about how her feet hurt and how she wanted to go home. Really pissed me off, and I could tell you weren't too pleased." Mira smiled at this

"I just believe you can do better Gajeel, she's very beautiful it's just you guys didn't have a good emotional connection. That's what makes a good relationship, it can't all be intimate."

Gajeel felt a blush color his face.

"Ya ya, thanks for the advice mom but I'm not really the dating type, I'm more of a solo act."

Gajeel could see she was about to comment on this but he wanted to drop the topic of dating as soon as possible. He came here for a reason and it wasn't for relationship advice.

"I hear this place is closing Mira, really wasn't what I wanted to wake up to, so where's the old man? I got some questions for him."

Mira suddenly look somber, her eyes stared at the dirty white rug and she shook her head.

"Not here," she motioned around her "the children are gone, the last one's were taken to a different orphanage about an hour away, I'm just here cleaning up," he heard a sniffle.

"Makarov is at his home, this place is overdue." She suddenly looked up at Gajeel, tears sparkling in her eyes.

"It's sad Gajeel but these things happen, Makarov is old now and there's no one to run this place if something were to…..occur with him." She sighed.

"Laxus and I can't take over, even if we wanted to it's run down and we don't have enough money to refurnish this place and make it new. If we could we would but with the condition it's in it's deemed unsafe for kids. It's…..unfortunate. If you'd like to speak with Makarov though, I can give you his address, he'd be really happy to see you…."

Gajeel began to grind his teeth and exhaled a breath he didn't know he'd been holding in.

"What a waste of a fucking drive that was then." He didn't mean to sound so brash but his voice caused Mira Jane to recoil.

"I-I'm sorry Gajeel, I'll write down his address if you'd like, please drive safely back though!" He just shook his head and headed out, slamming the door, he guessed she might be crying.

Yeah he felt bad but he didn't want to think about another person's feelings right now, he was pissed and he knew he would be for the rest of the day.

X

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X

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At five o'clock sharp Gajeel arrived at work. He entered through the back and was greeted by his coworker Juvia in the kitchen, washing some left over plates from the night before.

She quickly spotted him and her face perked up into a friendly smile.

"Oh Gajeel! Juvia is so happy to see you!"

He grunted in response. He liked Juvia. She was one of the first friends he made in his adulthood that was girl and didn't disappoint him. She looked after him and cared about him but at the moment he wasn't feeling up to conversation.

She caught on, she always did.

She returned back to her dishes but before Gajeel had the chance to escape the kitchen she piped up again.

"Tonight is Lucy's last shift, she's going to her father's wake a couple towns over tomorrow and will be out for the rest of the week."

Gajeel groaned.

"Lily better not put me on her cleaning duty," Juvia looked up at him again, her eyes seemed sad. She was a pretty girl, Gajeel reasoned, but he could never see a future with her. Plus, she was obsessed with one of the bartenders, Gray Fullbuster, who never seemed to be wearing a shirt, or pants for that matter, much to Gajeel's disgust and Juvia's excitement.

"Juvia is sorry but…..it appears that is the case."

Gajeel rolled his eyes and gave another grunt.

"Thanks Juvia" he offered and left the kitchen without waiting for a 'you're welcome'.

As he entered the bar he noticed the place smelled of dust, a contrast to it's usual stench of alcohol which he knew would occur later in the night.

Gajeel skimmed the room before sitting at a stool, the place was empty around this time and only started to really get visitors around 7 or 8.

"On time for once? What's the occasion?' He heard a familiar voice.

He didn't answer the question.

"Fucking cleaning duty? You're kidding me right? Why not Juvia, or Gray, or maybe Erza the neat freak, I don't know! even fucking Cana would do a better cleaning job than me!" He scowled at the large man in front of him. Lily was a real pain in the ass sometimes, yeah he was one of his best friends and all that shit but he really was a piss off.

"I figure you could use a couple extra hours to make up for the times you're late". He replied harshly, his tone would make a grown man piss his pants but not Gajeel, Gajeel just rolled his eyes.

"Yeah whatever. Enjoy your dirty bar then Lily." He knew he was being a total dick head but he didn't care.

Given the circumstances he gave himself permission to blow off some steam.

"Gajeel," his voice was warning "watch your attitude, you're given cleaning duty and you'll do it."

Gajeel grunted and rested his head on his fist. He felt tired, really fucking tired and suddenly he wanted to be at home, lying in bed, maybe sleeping. Lily gave a sigh.

"Is something wrong Gajeel?"

"Nope."

"Really?"  
"Nothing's wrong."

"Then why-"

"Lily," he took a deep breath. "Listen, I'll talk about it later but just don't fuckin' pry right now."

Usually he would have been given another scolding but instead he was given a simple nod. Lily left him to himself. In that moment Gajeel was washed over with a sense of loneliness, as if he was his ten-year-old self, waiting for his dad to come home only to find he never would.

X

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X

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Time seemed to fly by and suddenly the bar was filled with regulars.

Lucy had come in and Gajeel had given her hell about leaving for the wake and pushing cleaning duty onto him, which she rolled her brown eyes at and said:

"Oh shut up Gajeel, ever hear of _sympathy?_ " Gajeel snorted which landed him another eye roll and she was off to work.

His job was simple, if he saw someone starting trouble he had to rough them up and throw them out, which was never a problem given the fact he knew almost everyone in the bar and those he didn't know usually just sat by themselves in a state of melancholy. He didn't really give a shit, he was almost positive Lily just gave him the job as a favor.

He heard the door open in the front and gazed over to see a new face had walked in.

He scoffed, it was some short girl and she looked completely lost.

She was wearing a black shirt and skinny jeans that hugged her waist kindly but she looked like she couldn't be older than 19.

Her face had innocent features to it and her brown eyes looked around anxiously, as if she expected to be jumped by a couple of the men at the table near the entrance at any given moment.

Her hair was a short pixie cut and was a strange light blue.

She was cute, he guessed, nothing special though.

He turned his attention back to Lily who was serving a guy he came to know as Greg.

Greg was a middle aged divorced guy who got his jollies by getting pass out drunk and calling a cab to pick him up and bring him home once he came to.

He watched as Lily walked over to the blue haired girl who was now seated at the bar. She ordered and he couldn't help but chuckle when Lily asked for her ID.

She pouted her lip, showing him her license, he nodded and was off getting her her drink.

 _Heh, guess she's at least 21, or has a fake ID._

Gajeel tried to imagine the girl going out of her way to get a fake ID for bar hopping but she didn't seem like the type. He learned, however, women could be unpredictable so he didn't completely rule out the idea as impossible.

Lily walked over to him with a concerned look on his face.

"Willing to talk yet?"

Gajeel scoffed.

"Well Dr. Phil, now that you ask, I'm ready to open up and make a change in my life."

"Gajeel..."

"Yeah Lily I know I know," he groaned "gotta talk to feel better or some bullshit." Lily's face turned more sympathetic

"It's not always easy though Gajeel, I understand."

"Natsu's gotta date, _again_." Gajeel said, changing the topic and smirking at the thought. Lily chuckled.

"How many kids this time?"

"Who knows, I tell him, tell him every time, yer an idiot, ya gotta stop with online dating but he just tells me to can it."

"Ah well, relationship advice from a man who has a long list of women who hate him from previous one night stands may not be sound." Gajeel rolled his eyes.

"Yeah but none of those women brought five kids with her to the bedroom."

Lily gave a cackle.

"Shouldn't you be giving out drinks? For the 'greater good'" Gajeel mocked.

"Yeah, but don't think you can keep everything bottled up forever."

Gajeel put his hands up in surrender

"Wouldn't dream of it, now get back to work."

Gajeel watched Lily walk over to the blue haired girl again.

She seemed to attract shitty company for he noticed the infamous Trevor sat next to her.

Trevor was the most annoying piece of shit to ever walk into the bar.

He would talk ladies up and take them home _every night_.

Yes, Gajeel had his fair share of fun, but this kid was a total jackass. He scoffed at the blue haired girl who seemed to be completely under his trance.

 _Idiot_ Gajeel thought to himself.

She was cute but a complete moron.

X

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X

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As the night progressed more and more people left as closing time rounded the corner. Lily walked over to Gajeel, a stern expression on his face.

"Problem boss?" Gajeel sneered. Lily motioned his head to the blue haired girl and Trevor.

"What? Nothing new, womanizer Trevor is just sneaking his way into a girl's pants."

Lily turned and watched them. Gajeel did the same.

They were listening, it was easy to hear them now in the almost empty bar, and they could hear Trevor had asked her to go home with him.

He saw her stiffen up suddenly, as if the question jolted her into a sober state.

She declined.

Gajeel sneered as he saw Trevor falter.

 _Not use to that are you ya dick?_

He pointed behind her and she looked. Gajeel watched her turn to the other remaining couple whose tongues were down each other's throats.

She chuckled.

Lily nudged him.

"Gajeel," he whispered "Gajeel he put something in her drink, go up there."

Gajeel stared at Trevor. He seemed uneasy and had turned to look at him and Lily.

He looked frightened as if he was a kid caught stealing a cookie in the middle of the night and Gajeel had no doubt he _did_ put something in that girls drink.

The girl took a glance then whispered something to him which he answered awkwardly.

She seemed restless and began to fidget in her seat.

" _Now Gajeel"_ Lily pressed.

"Gotcha."

Gajeel got up and sauntered over.

Right before the girl could take a sip from her glass he knocked it out of her hand and pulled the idiot by his collar.

After a couple threats he threw him down and Trevor left, tail between his legs, never to come back again.

Lily came over and asked the girl if she was alright.

Woopdie do.

She was great, she was stupid too.

Lily thanked him, he didn't care.

Gajeel was feeling particularly like a jackass tonight. He felt a boiling rage in his stomach as he recapped his day and decided to throw a snide comment at the girl to release some of the tension he had built up.

"Yeah, whatever, don't know why you make it my job to take care of little girls. If they can't handle themselves whatever happens to em' is there fault. Not my fault she decided to be stupid and get drunk."

She _was_ a little girl too, she looked like she was fucking twelve up close and he wondered what business this shrimp thought she had at a bar.

Lily scolded him, giving him a stern,

"Gajeel."

 _Whatever,_ he was about to walk away, he knew Lucy left early that night which left _him_ with cleaning the place up.

She said she felt shaky and even dropped a glass and just lost her shit, Gajeel guessed the though of her father's wake tomorrow had taken a toll on her mental state.

Now Gajeel had to get ready to clean up, fucking ridiculous.

Right before he could bolt the pipsqueak spoke up.

"It's not my fault" she breathed.

He wanted to laugh at her, she was stupid if she thought she could stand her ground againt _him._

He rolled his eyes and put his hand to his ear.

"Can't hear you kid, how about you use your big girl voice?" She was silent for a moment and he scoffed.

Then she started.

"Guys come in here all the time! They got drunk off their asses but no one calls them stupid! Middle-aged men feel up young girls at the tables and no one calls them stupid! Do you know what you would say if a guy gets drunk?! You'd say "he's having a good time" but if I get drunk, I'm stupid!" she felt tears budding in her eyes, threatening to spill over.

"If a guy gets drunk and he gets into his car he's not stupid! He's a little reckless, if I get drunk and someone slips a drug into my drink, I'm stupid I'm a fool for not expecting this! I'm an idiot because sometimes I think I can have a drink and not be worried the next thing I know I'll be awake on the street or in some dark room!" The tears began to spill.

"I'm not stupid! I'm having a good time! It's not my fault this world is so messed up that a girl is stupid for taking her eye off a drink for one second and not suspecting s-she's g-g-going to be drugged!" She was crying now.

As she stared at him he didn't say anything, he couldn't _think_ of something to say.

Her brown eyes looked so hurt, so defeated, a feeling that had followed him throughout his day.

He didn't know why but he regretted provoking her, he thought about what she said for a moment, it made a good amount of sense, maybe she wasn't as stupid as he thought.

He noticed she had stood up while giving her speech and he took into account just how short she was, even when wearing a small heel.

Her slender frame seemed like she could be blow away by a gust of wind, and he resisted the urge to blow on her to test his theory.

 _No,_ he thought to himself _guess it ain't your fault shorty._

Lily asked her if she wanted a ride home, she accepted and Lily threw the keys to him, beckoning at him to warm up the car.

 _Guess there's no cleaning tonight._

Gajeel sighed as he walked out into the crisp air.

He should be grateful for that but he didn't particularly care, he knew he'd be ripped a new one by Lily for antagonizing the blue haired girl. He couldn't help but smirk at how well she fared against his sarcasm. She had fire in her, it intrigued him.

As he sat in the now warming car his day replayed in his head.

Fairy Tail was closing and he pissed off a rather feisty midget that he now had to drive home.

Great.


End file.
